INDIANAPOLIS – The latest Andrew Bynum experiment is over for the Indiana Pacers, its results meager, its costs still being calculated.

Andrew Bynum (Ron Hoskins/NBAE)

Bynum, the 7-foot, 285-pound center signed by the Pacers Feb. 1, officially was cut loose Wednesday morning. Hampered by chronic knee problems, the one-time (2012) L.A. Lakers All-Star, 26, played just twice for Indiana. He had an eight-point, 10-rebound game against Boston on March 11, then scored 15 points with nine rebounds four nights later against Detroit before heading back to the trainers room with soreness and fluid in his right knee.

“We want to thank Andrew and our medical staff for trying to get the issues with his knee resolved,” Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird said in a statement. “We wish him the best in the future.”

Acquiring Bynum – at a reported $1 million guaranteed for the balance of 2013-14 – was a gamble by Bird that didn’t pay off. But it might have cost the Pacers more than money. Center Roy Hibbert‘s ongoing tailspin coincides with Bynum’s arrival, so much that some team insiders have wondered if the move rattled Hibbert’s confidence and trust.

Through Jan. 31, Hibbert was posting his customary numbers – 12.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.5 blocks per game – for a team that was 35-10. After Bynum was signed, Hibbert averaged 9.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. He’s been worse in Indiana’s eight playoff games so far: 4.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.4 blocks. And the Pacers have gone 25-20.

After a disastrous season in Philadelphia in 2012-13, a disappointing stay in Cleveland earlier this season and a one-night stint with Chicago to fulfill trade obligations in January, his two-appearance stop in Indiana leaves Bynum’s basketball future in doubt. Brief as it was, it might have played a role in doing the same for Hibbert and the Pacers.

49 Comments

If Roy is that fragile then the problem is deeper than most thought it was I am sure. He just needs to grow up and take a look at half the players in this league that grind out a year at a time some times from team to team. He has a home here in Indy and the sooner he wakes up and gets to work, and I mean real work on his game of body position, the game will take care of itself. Then again maybe Larry already seen what he needs to make a call to a player like Bynum that understands body position and the advantages it gives you in scoring around the basket. Roy can do a great job in the offence if he studies what he looks like around the basket and compare that to other great centers in the game and how they looked. Not quite the same confidence in his body position and how he gathers himself before and during the shot as say Parish or Robinson or the best ever Akeem The Dream.

Bynum back to LA We need a big with his skills. even if it is 10 and 10. thats easy for him even with a bad knee adn he is not as expensive now. He can defend with his length and size as well as anyone else adn he is strong. MINI SHAQ again. We got 2 championships with him..

INDY needs to go after some O-Boards when we call a play for PG. At least when we are winning, Get PG a shot, and put a couple guys down low to collect his boards. Just while we are ahead. If he makes it good, if he doesn’t we got 2 or 3 legit rebounders going for the ball.

It’s astonishing how this guy (Bynum) can ruin a team from sitting at the end of the bench. Philly…no playoffs, coach fired…Cleveland…no playoffs, team chemistry ruined…Indy…from first place seed to struggling with an 8th, not getting out of semis, team fighting with each other and eventually, probably, coach getting fired again. All the while this dude is just laughing it up at the end of the bench and receiving millions everywhere he goes. They should make a movie on this guy or name a disease after him.

I know it doesn’t look good for Bynum now, but think about it….dude gets you almost an automatic 10 and 10 when he steps on the floor, even with a bad knee. So much upside; teams almost have to keep trying to see if they can use him

That is the fourth team that got burned by this creature called Bynam i think he is done now.Indiana was never a real contender anyway they lost their mojo a wile back and even before that they where no match for Miami or the strong West teams.It’s Washington in 6 …

We are a match for them, we beat all of them during the regular season, when everybody was playing playoff basketball. Miami is full of prissy sissy men that won’t last against INDYS Steel Curtain D. Wade better take care of himself before he breaks a hip. He wont last in our series.
Pacers in 6
and Miami Pacers in 6.

I hate how Miami fans come to our pages and bash us. I just went to all theyre pages and told them our team is the greatest.

Roy can’t allow himself to be rattled by that. So what Frank called more offensive plays for Drew. Roy has no where near the skill set that Drew has. Its nothing personal, you’ll lucky if one or two more centers in the league has his skill set. Your mental capacity has to be stronger than that. Its playoff time, bring your A game or stay at the house..

Knees, backs, and ankles are falling apart in the NBA BUT if Grant Hill could make a late oomeback to the game and T-Mac then there is hope for Bynum. After saying that, I still wouldn’t sign him to my team.

Larry Bird, remember your back issues? YOUR team stood by you. I guess Bynum, doesn’t get that same shot as you did Larry. Sorry Larry you have lost your touch. I hope you and the owner enjoy the 160 million you guys sponged off of Indianapolis tax payers. Just to keep your losing team in Indiana.

hammertoe, you forget that larry was signed as a rookie and retired as a celtic. it means that he has poured sweat, tears, emotions and blood for the celtics even before the back issues. totally different situations. hope u understand now.

I believe that Roy Hibbert is going to snap out of it! Looking at him and his demeanor, it is completely a mental thing he is going through. He’ll snap out of it, soon, and will completely beast this thing out. He is a talented defender and an above average “old school” center offensively (he got afew post moves and can knock the 8-12 footers casually). It is just a phase!

How exactly are you going to bring down Miami if you are not making the ECF. Hibbert at his best is a mediocre center, 12 points and 8 rebounds for a 7’2 guy is pretty bad. My guess is he’s not going to do any better this series going vs Nene and Gortat, Pacers better find the answer somewhere else.

Miami is full of prissy men. Wade won’t last in a series against us. Your team is so old its falling apart. Wade, Allen, and whoever else. Pacers will dominate that series. Just by our brute strength like the Western teams. Miami is not that good.

STEEL CURTAIN D

PACERS IN 6 Through rest of Playoffs to Champions.

Roy Hibbert
Lance
G2
David West

And Washington is horrible they need more than 82 points to beat us. We held Was to 66 in regular season, John Wall got 2 penetration in game 2. Good luck finding it in game 3. Shut Down. Washington wont be able to keep making they’re 3 bombs. Pacers will win it in 6.

Washington and Miami are going to get Steel Curtain D. And probably injured for it.

Bynum is done… at least as a starter. MAYBE if he gets new knees he could come off the bench for someone for maybe 15 mins a night. Unless he gets a knee replacement or something figured out…he’s done. His body is telling him that he wasn’t made for a 18 year Shaq Like career.

A lot of what Bynum did on the Pacers was up to the medical/coaching/advising staff for the team. They did a lot of rehabilitation but his knee obviously wasn’t up to snuff. So take it easy on him. He’s not the first player to face a career-critical injury. He won’t be the last. #GoodLuckBynum

I thought metta world piece….mette weird piece… was the stupidest, most detrimental player in the nba until bynum came along. he is a total idiotic brain dead baller who should be castigated forever. what a frikkin moron…

I finally got what I knew was eventually coming. Larry Bird’s official statement that Bynum was no longer a Pacer….What a waste of everyone’s time. How did that work for the Pacer’s? Trying to keep him from the Heat? Stop being so greedy. LOL

Picking up Bynum was an idiotic decision by Larry Bird. Of course it is going to rattle Hibbert when you pick up a former all star center. Even worse is that Bynum is a cancer to any team he plays for. Pacers were doing great this season and then Larry Bird starts to meddle around with things. If it isn’t broken then don’t bother trying to fix it.

Bird’s comment sounds like a GG. My bet is on Bynum not signing for anybody in the offseason and retiring from professional sport all together, because his knees simply can’t handle anything even remotely close to nba.

Of course,the move was designed to keep Bynum from Miami. The Pacers did not plan to use Bynum. The Lakers should sign either Byron Scott or Mark Jackson to coach the team. Either coach, along with Kobe, could get whatever is left out of Bynum.